The hospitality and tourism industry is always in high demand among students due to the glorious paying packages and careers. But there was havoc in these sectors as well during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus many doubts are rising in the minds of fresh school graduates, like is hotel management a good career option for them or not. In this article, we will clear all these doubts and give you enough reason to select hotel management as your career option.
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Like most industries, hotel management also comes with its advantages and disadvantages. But the pros are more than the cons. With vaccines against coronavirus injected into the people and relaxations in the traveling guidelines in many countries, there is a rise in the tourism and hotel industries. With more people coming out of their houses and again enjoying their lives in 2022 and 2023, the hospitality business has bounced back with growth and style.
However, most students believe that after pursuing hotel management, the only career alternative they will be left with is only in the hotel industry. But this information needs to be corrected. After completing the course, there are also alternative career options for hotel management students. The minimum admission criteria to a hotel management course are 10+2 in any stream.
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Various Job Types After The Hotel Management Course
After completing your hotel management course, there are various career opportunities for boys and girls. Some of them are as follows.
You can join the retailing sector after finishing the hotel management course. This sector includes numerous giant names like KFC, Pizza Hut, Domino, any shopping mall, and many more.
The young boys and girls can join as cabin crew after completing their hotel management course. This career alternative is particularly suitable for girls who can apply as air hostesses. It has a bright future with high salary expectations.
The corporate sector is another career option for hotel management students. You can apply as a canteen manager of large MNCs in the corporate sector.
A cruise line job is another viable option after the hotel management course. It can include enormous shipping companies, private yachts, or cruises. But to get a higher salary in cruise jobs, you need at least 2 years of working experience in the hotel industry. You can expect a salary of $800 to $1000 every month. However, this salary varies from company to company.
Yes, you heard it right! After completing your hotel management course, you can also join the government sector. These sectors include any government sector like banks, offices, and railways. But this option is only available for some diploma holders in hotel management. Only the bachelor’s degree holders can apply for it.
Role of Women In The Hotel Management Industry
Significant changes have occurred for women and girls in the hotel industry in the past few years, but breaking the glass through the ceiling was not easy enough. It has become much easier for women to acquire career opportunities, and leadership roles are also plentiful. Technological advances in this sector have also assisted on many levels.
The hospitality industry is extending quickly in Asia. New properties and buildings are growing much faster than finding general managers. But women are securing most of the plum jobs more rapidly than men. It is becoming much more hassle-free for women to secure senior management roles. The hotel industry has become more aware of women’s abilities and their leading capabilities.
Since the hospitality industry is growing rapidly, hotels consider both female and male candidates equally for the higher positions that men usually dominate. Thus more girls have started taking admission into hotel management courses.
Myths and Truths Related to hotel management as a career option
Often when most people come across the word hotel management, they can only visualize their children in a white apron cooking food or as a waitperson serving food. But it is the biggest misconception about this field. Let us bust some myths today and tell you the truth about this sector below.
Myth 1: Is hotel management a good career option- as it is mostly about cooking or serving food?
Truth: The hotel management course involves much more than cooking. It is a serious industry involving:
- Beverage and food service
- Housekeeping to maintain comfortable and clean surroundings in the hotel
- Front desk operations to make sure the guest is getting everything on their demand while on arrival and during their stay
- Event planners to conceptualize and complete events like specific festivals, conferences, engagements, marriages, or any other occasion
- Marketing and salespeople
- Accounts department to keep a tab on the hotel credits and debits
Hence, a person can explore several other specialized paths in the hotel industry.
Myth 2: You will be limited only to the hotel industry after completing the course
Truth: After completing a hotel management course, one will not be restricted to the hotel industry. For you, there will be no limit. The industry offers a range of diversified and exciting career alternatives:
- Accommodation manager in conference centers, home care, hotels, and many more
- Working as tour managers, sales managers, and certified travel agents in the tourism sector
- Professor in the hotel management colleges
- Event manager working in fairs, product launches, exhibitions, conferences, and many more
- Casino manager in renowned casinos on cruises or ships
Myth 3: Lower school in 10+2 means a hotel management degree
Truth: The biggest reality to this myth is you have to be much more than that to secure higher marks in 10+2. You must be highly skilled to join this challenging yet exciting sector. Ishotel management hard? Like any other bachelor course, it includes difficulties and an elaborate syllabus. One has to pass rigorous tests like written exams, tests for analytical, mathematical, language, and logical abilities, group discussion, and personal interviews before getting admission into the college.
Students who have scored higher marks in 10+2 are also selecting this career as it offers exposure to developing the overall personality of a person and meeting different types of people. With the leading globalization, it has become one of the rapidly growing industries and has occupied a second rank in the employability factor after the IT industry.
Myth 4: The students will get lesser-paying jobs and will take time to settle
Truth: This applies to any career. As a fresher in any career, you must begin with the trivial duties and understand the business basics to establish a firm foundation. You can only reach a higher position once you work relentlessly for it. After graduating with a hotel management degree, there are unlimited opportunities. You can join as a management trainee in the hospitality sector and move up the business ladder within a few years. The initial starting salary is 1.7 lakhs per annum which can go up to 15 lakhs depending upon the role you will take up. You can work with renowned hotel chains like Hilton, Radisson, Hyatt, Marriott, and many more to gain a lifetime experience.
Myth 5: Women do not have great opportunities in the hotel industry
Truth: Despite many vital changes in the industry, many consider the question is hotel management a good career option for women before pursuing the course. The answer to this question is that the hotel sector will only be competent with the presence and elegance of women. Most people prefer women over men in guest relations due to their pleasing personalities and better interpersonal and verbal skills.
Women are also excellent at handling pressure due to their personal experiences. According to a report, women perform most of the hospitality jobs. Also, the number of women ruling senior positions in this sector has increased. Thus, the hotel industry now holds a more potential place for women than ever before.
How to pursue a hotel management course?
There are two ways to hold a hotel management degree. One is to get admission for Bachelors in Hotel Management after 10+2 for 3 years and, later on, pursue a master’s degree. The second path is to get a diploma in hotel management for 1 year and then go for the diploma in hotel management for 2 years. You can also pursue a master’s degree this way after graduation. You will need the following skills for admission to the hotel management course.
- Good spoken and written communication skills
- Pleasing personality
- Good business skills
- Good interpersonal skills
- To remain calm even during stress
Reasons to Take Hotel Management Course As Your Career Option
Below are some reasons to clarify your doubts about is hotel management a good career option.
- Early roles and responsibilities
Whether you join as a hotel manager, chef, bartender, front desk, or in any other operations, you will be responsible for each sector aspect. The front desk department includes concierge and reception services, maintenance, catering, and housekeeping. Hotel management also includes managing the budgets and public relations, hiring employees, and setting the sales target. Since most of the workforce working in the hotel sector is generally young, and the staff turnover is usually high, prospects for promotion are also high for the graduates.
You can begin your career as a graduate trainee and then get promoted to assistant manager. From there, the promotions will lead you to deputy manager and HOD. How quickly you will get the promotion depends on the hotel size and your ability to handle your job successfully. Usually, it can take 2 to 3 years to reach the assistant level.
Each day in a hotel is full of different requests and challenges as you have to continuously welcome new guests. It will keep your day variedly interesting. You should also be patient, diplomatic, and polite to handle guest demands. There are endless alternative career options for hotel management students as well. You can be associated with chain or independent hotels and work in locations like coastal areas or metropolitan cities. You can meet and make connections with different types of people globally. But remember, you should be prepared to work flexible, unsocial, and erratic hours. If you think it is a regular 9 to 5-weekday job, you are in the wrong place.
The tourism and hospitality industry needs creative people to grow and thrive. To succeed in this sector, you must always come up with new and innovative ideas like guided tours or afternoon-themed tea parties. It will also improve the service quality of the hotel. Since guests are an integral part of the hotel management process, employers are always open to hearing creative suggestions to improve the organization’s reputation.
The General Manager receives 7 to 15 lakhs annually, depending on the hotel’s location and size. An event manager can get 3 to 7 lakhs per annum. The front office manager and chefs usually get 2 to 7 lakhs annually, while the bartender gets 1 to 7 lakhs annually. Executive housekeeper receives 4 to 9 lakhs annually, while on the other hand, food and beverage managers get 3 to 6 lakhs per annum.
These roles also come with additional benefits like pension, shared ownership schemes, meals on duty, discounts on hotel accommodation, private healthcare, live-in accommodation, clothing or uniform allowance, and many more.
As a hotel management representative, you should always be a people person. You should always ensure that every guest is having an enjoyable and pleasant stay in your hotel and getting the best customer service available. You will receive great satisfaction whenever they leave a good review or positive feedback for your hotel or their staff. It will also inspire you to achieve better results.
Hotel management jobs always include traveling and tourism opportunities all over the country and world. If you are working under giant hotel chains, you will have the chance to travel nationally and internationally.
Conclusion
From food and beverage to housekeeping, from cooking to management, from cruise manager to event manager, hotel management comes with various career opportunities for both boys and girls in 2023. These many choices make hospitality and hotel management lucrative career alternatives. Thus, hotel management remains the first choice of many undergraduate students. Innovation and technology are also making this industry better. There are a lot of negativities revolving around the industry, but the truth is, it is one of the fastest growing sectors offering unlimited opportunities to students.
